The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-05-07
A Ride on the Finest Mountain
Road in the World.

Ralph Meeker, an Harper Magazine J0r May.
Tie highway from Vladi-Kavkas through
the Caucasus was butt by the Gar in
1859, and it is said to be the finest noun
tain road in the world. 1t is so wide that
two post-wagons, drawn by four horses
abreast, can pass at full speed at any place
by night or day. The macadam road-bed
is graded like railway, and its surface is
as hard as the boulevards of Paris. 1t was
by this celebrated military thoroughfare
that we entered the Darrell Pass. The
horses dashed around bend in the road,
and suddenly stopped before postssation
These government houses, which are well
constructed of cut stone, with sheet-iron roofs
painted green, have been built from eight
to fifteen miles apart along the entire route
through the Caucasus. Horses, wagons,
and drivers are changed at every station,
unless the traveller is fortunate enough to
own his vehicle; then only change Of
horses and driver is necessary. The toll
for transportation is one and half cents a
verst-a distance of about two thirds of a
mile. Each passenger is supposed to have
a permit, or way-bill, from the government,
which he must show in addition to his reg
ular passport This imperial order for
horses is supposed to enable one to travel
with little delay; but the post-masters along
the route always make it point to compel
one to wait as long as possible, and unless
liberal fees are given one may be detained
two or three days at station. We had
travelled but ten miles, yet the character
of the springless vehicle was such that We
felt as if we had been pounded by machin-
cry. An officer of the government who
was travelling with us ordered fresh horses
harnessed at once, and in few moments
their steel shoes were ringing on the road.
The scenery grew rapidly holder and
mountains that seemed lofty but half an
hour before sank out of sight as we ascend
ed the canon. In places the roadway was
a mere groove cut in the side of appalling
precipices, with the river breaking into
foam a thousand feet below. As our
horses galloped around one of these but
tresses mighty amphitheatre opened d.
reetly before US, on one side Of which a
little notch was seen midway between the
river and the heavens. 1t was the road.
Toot;na across the measnreless abvss we
saw co-avon IF freight WAGONS toilino mn
~. aLa.,,oI aL;solod n r. e;do of tba
rnonnta;n al tho artillery WAGONS and the
areat s;eae-anns that Numbered aoainst
Kors and the HEIGHTS Of Soubatan passed y
over this road More than two thousand
vob;oles wore moving between VIadi- Kav.
Los and AIaxandronol They stonned for
n nas hnt avaIancbes and dead horses
no;ther darlnass nor storm DELAYED their
nrocress Some were loaded with powder
and shells: others carried clothing and med
zeal supplies. But none of these great
wagons nor swiftly running post-horses i'm
peded us. The magnificent boulevard over
which we were travelling was often broad
enough for three teams to pass. Sometimes,
however, a line of two-wheeled Asiatic
carts drawn by bullocks refused to yield
the customary share of the road, and as the
post-wagons swept by them the Tartar
drivers dashed the Arabs in the face with
their .Cossack whips, and accompanied the
sting with epithets and laughter. A solid